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MEAT GOAT PRODUCTION HANDBOOK
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Recommendations
For Goat Industry Development |
Frank Pinkerton |
Introduction |
The present status of both goat
production and marketing is rather haphazard with
substantive variation in animal availability, body
weight, and condition at slaughter, variable carcass
characteristics, lack of standardized processing techniques
and inadequately developed market distribution (Hale
and Griffin, 1992). Rationalization of production
and marketing of slaughter goats seems essential if
future demand is to be met without potentially destructive
price rises, and if all players in the marketing channel
are to receive reasonably equitable returns. The following
sections, taken from Pinkerton, et al (1993), identify
certain modifications in industry practices and in
publicly supported extension and research programs
which could contribute to industry rationalization. |
Industry Modifications |
Production Systems |
Breeding |
1. Institute farm-level recordkeeping
system which identify individual animals in order
to assess performance and thus enable selection and
retention of superior herd replacements.
2. Procure and use in a controlled manner superior
bucks for herd improvement.
3. Where possible, use artificial insemination from
elite sires to more rapidly improve and standardize
production and carcass characteristics. |
Reproduction |
1. Use available endocrine technology
for controlling breeding schedules for production
of kids, in order to meet market-specific age/weight
demands.
2. Increase use of "flushing" procedure
and "buck effect" to increase ovulation
rates/conception rates and to better group kidding
dates so as to improve labor utilization, weaning
rates and market returns. |
Nutrition/Management:
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1. Apply available veterinary
technology for improving heard health to increase
kidding rates, weaning rates, and rates of gain.
2. Use supplemental feeds as needed to maintain adequate
animal performance during periods of nutritional stress.
3. Where cost-benefit ratios seem favorable, practice
kid creep feeding for improved gains and condition
to enhance market appeal and returns.
4. Establish "growing/conditioning" enterprises
for growing weanling goats to heavier slaughter weights
and/or adding weight and improving condition of older
slaughter goats.
5. Establish "contract grower" enterprises
in which kids and other goats are scheduled for sale
to a processor at specific weights, times and prices.
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Processing systems |
Packers should use currently
available technology for processing carcasses, such
as:
1. electrical stimulation to prevent cold-shortening
of muscle fibers and increase tenderness,
2. blade tenderization of boneless cuts,
3. vacuum packaging of primal and retail cuts, and
4. freezing whole carcasses or components. |
Packers should prepare and test
market primal and retail cuts and also fabricated
products such as:
1. fresh sausages,
2. smoked sausages,
3. dried sausages, and
4. jerky. |
| Novel marketing targets procurement and distribution
systems: |
• Packers/wholesalers/retailers should evaluate
and test market goats and carcass components for non-traditional
consumer groups such as upscale restaurants, health
food outlets, deli's, and supermarkets selling lines
of specialty food for the "health conscious"
consumer.
• Wholesalers/retailers
should test market novel goat meat products, particularly
sausages and traditional retail chops and steaks, as
well as precooked roasts and loaves.
•
Current or new packers should consider the economics
of processing and packaging operations near goat producing
areas with distribution of refrigerated and frozen goat
products to distant outlets.
• Current
or new packers should consider the concept and practical
application of contract growing of slaughter goats in
conjunction with forward contracting of products to
wholesale and retail outlets; the current structure
of the broiler and turkey industry could, with appropriate
modifications, possibly serve as a model. |
Research Needs and Opportunities
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Resources for goat research have
historically been minuscule as compared to other classes
of livestock. Angora goats and mohair have received
majority attention while meat goats have been studied
primarily for their roles in brush control, range
management, and multispecies grazing schemes. However,
relatively recent shifts in the supply-demand situation
and resulting prices for goats and goat meat have
engendered serious interest in meat goat production.
As a result of this demonstrated public interest,
certain institutions and agencies have initiated more
precisely focused research activities; still others
are now planning and seeking funding for such endeavors.
The following areas of concern seem to merit priority
research efforts: |
Breeding |
1. Evaluation of Boer goats under
southwestern and southeastern ranching and farming
conditions; evaluations to include Boer X Spanish
crosses with back crosses to Boer bucks and, secondly,
Boer X Nubian crosses.
2. Evaluation of Angora X Boer, Angora X Nubian, and,
in those states with appreciable Angora populations,
Angora X Spanish crosses.
3. Comparison of "Texas Spanish" and southeastern
"briar/hill" goats under southeastern growing
conditions.
4. Comparison of pre- and post-weaning performance
and carcass characteristics of Boer, Nubian, Alpine,
and Spanish kids. |
Reproduction |
1. Field studies to evaluate
current and novel methods for out-of-season estrus
initiation and for estrus synchronization.
2. Economic comparison of kidding annually with 3
times in 24 months. |
Nutrition/Management
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| 1. Assessment of cost-benefit
ratios of applying various improved management practices
to herds currently managed in the traditional, low
input/low output manner (improved practices to include
protein/energy supplementation, rotational grazing,
parasite control, predator control, etc.).
2. Economic evaluation of creep-feeding kids pre-
and post-weaning and, secondly, marketing at 3, 6,
and 9 months of age or at 30, 60, and 90 lbs |
| Meat Technology |
| 1. Compare yield and quality
of carcasses from different breeds and types of goats
and their crosses.
2. Determine performance response to "feed-lotting'
kids, yearlings and older goats on carcass characteristics
and on enterprise profitability.
3. Evaluation of post-mortem carcass treatments to
improve tenderness of goat muscle.
4. Elucidation of biochemical properties of goat meat
with particular emphasis on human dietary concerns.
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| Marketing |
1. Development of live and carcass grading standards
for slaughter kids,yearlings, and older goats.
2. Ascertain processor and consumer acceptance of
primal or retail cuts vs whole or half carcasses.
3. Compare effects of current freezing procedures
on organoleptic characteristics of goat meat and,
subsequently, on consumer acceptance.
4. Fabrication and consumer acceptance studies of
processed goat products, e.g., sausages, preformed
roasts and dehydrated specialty items.
5. Identification and quantification of non-ethnic
potential markets for goat meat.
6. Quantification of demand for goat meat during special
holidays.
7. Correlate price spreads among players in the marketing
channels for goats.
8. Quantification of meat goat farm inventory with
auction and slaughter goat numbers (official and non-official).
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| Conclusions |
1. Present systems of goat production
and marketing are inadequate with substantive variations
in: animal availability, body weights and condition
at slaughter, and carcass characteristics; lack of
standardized processing techniques and an inadequately
developed product distribution system are also noted.
2. Rationalization of production and marketing of
slaughter goats is essential if future demand is to
be met and if all players in the marketing channel
are to receive reasonably equitable returns; modifications
in industry practices, though obviously needed, will
likely be slow in coming.
3. Currently, goat supply is not in close accord with
consumer demand across time; accordingly, there are
wide fluctuations in prices paid to producers and
paid by consumers which tend to discourage improvements
in production and to slow increases in sustainable
demand.
4. The geographic disparity between areas of goat
production and areas of goat processing and consumption
adds substantially to marketing costs; more slaughtering
in or near present and future production areas could
reduce consumer costs and increase demand.
5. The southeastern area of the U.S. has two appreciable,
but as yet largely unrecognized, comparative advantages
in goat production capability and in proximity to
east coast ethnic markets relative to the traditional
southwestern area; these advantages, if properly exploited,
could alter the industry markedly over time.
6. The current industry practices of marketing mostly
whole or half carcasses should be altered over time
and place to sales of primal and retail cuts and value-added
products
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7. University research and extension programs in production,
processing and marketing of goat meat are scarce and
should be implemented and sustained to assist in rapid,
orderly industry development.
8. While yet a predominately adolescent industry,
signs of maturity are beginning to emerge. Major players,
with some notable inter-city exceptions, will not
likely be the same five to eight years from now. As
sale volumes continue to increase, so also will sophistication
in transportation, processing, and marketing.
9. Mass marketing to ethnic sub-culture consumers
began receiving enormous play, principally in marketing
journals and trade magazines only recently; consumption
of goat meat will likely be favorably affected by
these investigations and exhortations. |
| References |
1. Hale, D. S. and D. B.
Griffin, 1992. Merchandising the meat from goats:
palatability, cutability and nutrient profile. IN:Proceedings,
Texas A&M University Goat Field Day, Austin, TX.
2. Pinkerton, F., L. Harwell, N. Escobar, and W. Drinkwater,
1993. Marketing channels and margins for slaughter
goats of southern origin. Southern Regional Development
Center, Mississippi State University. |
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